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Tag Archives: self-care

Natural Beauty Recipes, by Karen Gilbert

Natural Beauty Recipes: 35 Step-by-step Projects for Homemade Beauty, by Karen Gilbert
CICO Books, 1800653085, 145 pages, January 2024

This year during my annual holiday shopping at Lush, I decided in 2024 I want to learn how to create my own beauty and skin care products, most especially massage bars. Just a few days after that, I saw the newly released Natural Beauty Recipes: 35 Step-by-step Projects for Homemade Beauty by Karen Gilbert, which I soon discovered is the perfect book to support my new year initiative! This beautifully crafted book has all the information I need to get started, and after reading it, I feel confident and excited about my first projects I’ve planned out.

Gilbert is an expert in the field of natural skincare and fragrance, creating award-winning formulas for Neal Yard Remedies. She currently runs artisan perfumery workshops both locally in the UK and online and has previously published Perfume: The Art and Craft of Fragrance, teaching readers how to train their noses and layer scents to create body products and home fragrance sprays.

Before delving into the projects in Natural Beauty Recipes, Gilbert gives an overview about beauty and skincare overall, sharing the different skin types and a three-step skincare routine to follow and the “do” and “don’ts” of diet necessary to maintain a good complexion. She writes, “You would be surprised how many people with skin problems do not even think about changing their lifestyle, and try to fix them with cosmetic products instead.”1

With this in mind, Gilbert turns towards setting readers up with all they need to know about creating their own recipes, starting with the equipment required, ingredients, preservatives and antioxidants, and information on shelf life. I really enjoyed reading this section because often when I look at the back of a bottle, I have no idea what the ingredients are or why they are necessary, but now I understand better how different parts of the recipe work together.

And, oh my, all the things these ingredients can create is incredible! The recipes are divided into three different chapters, focusing on the face, body, and, finally, bath and shower. For every recipe, Gilbert neatly lists the ingredients and equipment required and provides a full description about the recipe, explaining why the ingredients are used, expected shelf-life, and other alternatives to ingredients or things that can be removed/added, depending upon one’s intended outcome.

She also includes a textbox on how to use the recipe, which, depending on the recipe, makes suggestions such as how long to leave on one’s face, how to prepare the skin for application (cleaning face, dampening skin, etc), or amounts to use (ex. 2 cups of bath salt). Gilbert wants you to have the best outcomes, and it’s clear she’s giving you every little detail to ensure you know not only how your product is created but its most efficient use too.

But do you want to know the absolute best part of this book? The pictures of every step! It is so incredibly helpful to be able to see pictures of each step to make sure I’m doing things correctly. Alongside the photographs, are Gilbert’s step-by-step instructions, which are thorough and fully convey what to expect/what is happening at each increment in the process. There’s also always a picture of the final product too, so you know what you’re making from the get-go.

Other very nifty and useful parts of this book are the glossary and resource section. The glossary defines terms used–the words I’m grateful to now understand when reading product labels! For instance, cocamidopropyl betaine is defined as follows:

“A mild surfactant derived from coconut oil. It is often used to make the product foam more and to improve the viscosity (thickness) in shampoo or shower gel formulations.”2

Then the resource section has lists of virtual workshops and tutorials, further reading (websites and books), website for a lye calculator, and what I find to be most valuable, lists of ingredient suppliers for both the UK and USA. I’m so grateful for Gilbert including these resources because finding reputable ingredients was on the forefront of my mind as I am preparing to start creating my own natural beauty recipes.

Here’s a list of the recipes that I’m most excited to try, which showcase the range of projects Gilbert teaches readers in this book: Rose & red clay cleanser, Lavender & witch hazel skin freshener, Rosehip treatment balm, Argan eye mask, lip balms, Vetiver & vanilla body cream, Shea butter & lemongrass hand softener, Pumice & peppermint foot scrub, Geranium & orange massage bars, Dead Sea detox bathing salts, Skin-softening milk bath, Herbal bath bags, and most of all, Mint-choc bath melts! I can already envision feeling luxurious, fresh, and radiant in 2024 when using these products. (I’ll just have to get my husband to share the excitement, as I have no doubt these ingredients add up quickly in cost! 😀)

All in all, Natural Beauty Recipes is a marvelous resource for those interested in getting started with making their own products. Gilbert gives readers her all; her expertise in fragrance and natural beauty shine through. Whether you’re a novice like me, beginning from step one, or someone who has some experience under their belt, Gilbert’s carefully curated set of recipes is such to delight the senses. I’m really looking forward to doing my first batch of a few of these as soon as my ingredients come in the mail. Until then, I’ll just keep doing my research and referring to this beautiful book for inspiration.

The Book of Nordic Self-Care, by Elisabeth Carlsson

The Book of Nordic Self-Care: Find Peace and Balance Through Seasonal Rituals, Connecting with Nature, Mindfulness Practices, and More, by Elisabeth Carlsson
CICO Books, 9781800652668, 144 pages, October 2023

Beauty, peace, balance, nourishment – this and so much more is what you’ll encounter when you hold The Book of Nordic Self-Care: Find Peace and Balance Through Seasonal Rituals, Connecting with Nature, Mindfulness Practices, and More by Elisabeth Carlsson in your hands. I guarantee you that the experience of engaging with the recommendations and inspiring photographs will seep into your heart and your daily experiences.

Carlsson is a master at bringing to life how to engage in self-care the Nordic way. For those geographically challenged as I sometimes am, the Nordic countries include Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Aland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. These are countries with extreme weather and fluctuations in the amount of sunlight that residents experience annually, yet, “the Nordic countries usually come in the top five happiest countries of the World Happiness Report.”1 

The approach to Nordic self-care moves beyond getting cozy with hygge. Yes, it embraces comfort, serenity, friends, and relaxation. But it expands to a holistic way to find balance in a world that is often out of balance. As Elisabeth writes, “self-care is often about balance…”2. It’s about finding joy in everyday things, nourishing one’s self from the inside out, being mindful about what you put into your body and into your head. The Nordic way of living encourages the individual to feel safe  and if you feel safe, you can thrive.

There are five focuses in the book: natural health and beauty, nourishing food for all seasons, nature and forest, the home and seasonal living, and a balanced life. Encompassed within these sections is all the reader needs to know to embrace the Nordic way of life. There are recipes for food and beauty regimes. There is a knitting pattern for those who are interested in making a Fair Isle pompom hat! Elisabeth writes of nature foraging – and even includes ways to engage in this in the city. Friluftsliv, or free open-air life? There are many ways to experience this.

Carlsson reminds us that balance (lagom in Swedish) is a key. Balance the rat race with encounters with nature, balance the darkness with light, balance the need to do things quickly with a slowed down coffee break with friends. You get the idea.

Choice is another key. Choose to take care of yourself. This is not selfish, it’s life-affirming. Choose to eat seasonally. Choose nature-based products for make-up and lotions. Notice what you feed your body. Be mindful of the habits you do perpetuate. For those who are seeking a simplified way of life, The Book of the Nordic Self becomes a guide.

One of the sections that resonated with me was on dostadning, or the Swedish art of decluttering that has come to be known as Swedish death cleaning. I am learning to embrace dostadning, as I am now “of a certain age” I look around my house and wonder if my daughters will know why I cherish certain items. Do they know the history and significance of these things? At other times I look around and wonder why I still have items in my life that no longer have to do with who I am now. Dostadning encourages one to “imagine someone else having to clear up your house.”3 It’s not really about death and dying but more about you purging your things before it’s left to someone else. You’ll feel lighter and you’ll save friends and loved ones the challenge of a massive clean out. I’ll focus on doing this to feel lighter and uncluttered and table the death part. 

The information in this book is not sugar-coated. Carlsson writes about burnout and the high use of antidepressants in Nordic countries, as well as the Law of Jante, or need to conform or be part of the collective. As she writes, “despite all the benefits of the Nordic countries it’s clear that there are still some things that aren’t perfect, but maybe because of this, we can gain wisdom from how the Nordics manage stress and overwhelm.”4 I appreciate her approach because it introduce readers to the Nordic lifestyle without idealizing it, providing an honest look at the benefits without turning a blind eye to where improvements can be made. 

Additionally, this whole book is very visual, and the photographs are amazing – think Ikea on steroids. I became calm just by looking at them. As someone who has yet to visit the Nordic countries, the photos gave me a better understanding of the area’s aesthetic.

Overall, The Book of Nordic Self-Care is a treasure. I highly recommend that you read this book if you are on a self-care. Exploring the practices of another culture is a great way to gain insight into your own life, bringing inspiration about how you might cultivate more self-care in your life. Allow the messages to seep into your life and I’m certain you’ll feel the warmth of the Nordic culture infusing your soul.

Lessons from the Empress, by Cassandra Snow and Siri Vincent Plouff

Lessons from the Empress: A Tarot Workbook for Self-Care and Creative Growth, by Cassandra Snow and Siri Vincent Plouff
Weiser Books, 1578637937, 224 pages, October 2022

I’d been contemplating how I wanted to honor Venus retrograde from July 22nd to September 3rd of this year. Since the retrograde is happening in my first house of self, I settled on examining my relationships to self-care and creative pursuits, which admittedly have been low on my list of priorities after the past six months of postpartum life tending to a new baby. This retrograde feels like a sacred time to nourish myself and my creative pursuits, and luckily, I found the perfect book to guide me through: Lessons from the Empress: A Tarot Workbook for Self-Care and Creative Growth by Cassandra Snow and Siri Vincent Plouff.

“… we can recognize that creativity is not just for the chosen few but that it is our own birthright to create. In fact, creativity as the ultimate form of self-care is self-expression exalted.”1

This book opens news doors for self-care and magical practice with the tarot. The authors describe how the Empress teaches how to nurture ourselves through physical senses into our lives, working “in partnership with the materia” and through “taste, sight, smell, hearing, and touch”2. The prompts, tarot spreads, and rituals help to create the grounded life structure for our abundance, creativity, and self-care to flourish.

Divided into three parts, readers are led through preparation, journeying inward, and arriving at self-acceptance through the tarot. The slow and steady build anchors the reader in their own body as they open to receive the wisdom of the Empress. There’s no need to rush through. And being a workbook, Lessons from the Empress requires time and space for the reader to truly dive in and do the tarot readings, writing prompts, and integrate their reflections.

The journey begins with discovering one’s own inner empress. The authors offers creative ideas for self-care, a tarot spread to learn more about your current self-care practice, and a dedication opening ritual. Then she provides the tarot basics for readers who don’t know much about the tarot: picking out a deck, the general meaning of the suits, and how tarot reading is really a form of story-telling. Once the foundation is laid for generally understanding tarot, the focus switches to using tarot cards to create rituals, specifically self-care rituals.

“Some people struggle to create healthy routines for their self-care, but you are worth the time and effort it takes to establish them.”3

After some initiatory tarot spreads, the journey deepens as the reader enters the major arcana. The authors tells the full story of the major arcana from The Fool to The World to help readers understand the archetypal and spiritual journey of tarot, framing it in different ways for readers to see connections between the cards. Then there are major arcana spreads, self-care prompts, and creative prompts for the reader to do, along with a ritual to spark fresh ideas.

Finally, the third part of the book focuses on the minor arcana, and it is by far the longest section! Just as the readers were guided through the story of the major arcana, the authors now turn to telling the story of each suit (wands, cups, swords, and pentacles) from beginning to end with the court cards described separately. Following the same format, there’s a spread for each suit, self-care prompts, creative prompts, and a culminating ritual.

Throughout the book are tools for the readers to further their tarot knowledge and magical practice. For instance, there’s “get to know the cards“ charts for the major arcana, minor arcana cards by suit, and court cards by suit that have traditional associations for the cards along with a blank column for readers to fill in their own personal associations.

The authors also offers styles of witchcraft and styles of creativity for the different types of cards. For instance, the styles of witchcraft suggested for the wands include candle magic, sex magic, trusting the gut instinct. While styles of creativity for swords include automatic writing, journaling, reading, and blending scents.

As with any workbook, you get what you put in! While the content of the book is very interesting to read, especially the stories of the major arcana and each suit, truly undergoing the journey of the Empress involves creating the space and routine to do the spreads, practice intentional creativity, and tap into your own magic.

For me, the structure of the book has been good for keeping me organized and on task! When I feel my self-care routine slipping or am feeling low (a sign I’m out of touch with my creativity), I can go back and pick up where I left off, and usually I get right back into my flow. This being said, it has been weeks that I’ve been moving through the book, and I’m only through the major arcana and one suit. But that’s okay! If I’ve learned anything from the Empress so far it’s that I can indulge in my creativity, take my time, and let things happen at their own pace.

Overall, Lessons from the Empress is a fun way to cultivate a self-care practice. It’s unique in the way it invites the elemental magic of the tarot to inspire the readers and focuses on creativity as a source of self-care. Whether you’re new to tarot reading or have years of experience, embracing the tarot with the focus of self-care is a new experience, opening up yet another way the tarot can be used as a spiritual tool for personal growth.

Sit Down to Rise Up, by Shelly Tygielski

Sit Down to Rise Up: How Radical Self-Care Can Change the World, by Shelly Tygielski
New World Library, 1608687449, 256 pages, October 2021

Self-care is all the rage right now, but how often does it extend outwardly to encompass a community? Sit Down to Rise Up: How Radical Self-Care Can Change the World by Shelly Tygielski is a beautiful reminder of what can happen when honoring the need for mutual support and community as part of our self-care practice. This isn’t a “Ms. Independent” tale of how self-care is synonymous with “me-first”; it’s a potent story of struggling to make one’s way through life amid challenge and still choosing to show up each and every day for yourself and the people who count on you.

Through this book, Tygielski candidly recalls stories of her past, even some of her family’s tales too, as she guides readers to rediscover meaning in their life, overcome limiting mindsets, and build encompassing communities that redefine the structures of society. She starts off by reminding readers of their own agency, which she likens to free will. In the section “Forget the Guru, Find the Yuru” (which I loved!) she writes:

“We all spend a lifetime climbing the proverbial mountain with an expectation that we’ll find a wise person at the top who will tell us the meaning of life. This person doesn’t exist, I promise. The ability to thrive, love, be happy, and fulfill all comes from within. Every single bit of it. It comes from the realization that we have been bestowed with the gift of agency to choose how and when to cultivate it in ourselves.”1

Once the reader has been reminded of the importance of them actively participating in their journey, Tygielski moves through a whole range of heartfelt wisdom she’s cultivated in life, channeling through her relatable stories of how she built this practice for herself. I for one always love hearing someone else’s story; it gives me motivation and affirmation that if they can do it, I can do it. Chapters include “Good is Good Enough”, “Not Broken”, “Familiarization”, “Sustainable Self-Care”, and more.

I will delve into each a bit more, but I wanted to mention how much I like Tygielski’s style. Tygielski has a way of writing about her experience without making it feel like this book is a tout of her success. It’s almost as though a close friend is having a heart to heart with you about all they’ve gone through recently, revealing their own vulnerabilities, fears, and doubts, as well as how they mustered the strength to keep going.

For instance, Tygielski writes about “deconstructing” ourselves to learn more about the narratives shaping our lives (many of which aren’t the healthiest and deserve some care from us) and then “reconstructing” ourselves in more realistic ways that allow for self-acceptance, grace with our mistakes, and affirmation that we are enough.

I tried this practice myself, after a few months of feeling woefully inadequate and caught up in a comparison-game with others, and found it to be very relieving. It helped me to see what stories I was telling myself and then actively reshape them into a more accurate and honest perspective, bolstered with a dose of “good enough” and self-love.

One of Tygielski’s defining moments in her life is finding out she has uveitis, which is an inflammatory disease of the eye, when she woke up blind one morning! I honestly can’t even imagine how scary this would be for her. She described the sensation, as well as how she had to get her toddler son ready for school without her sight, trying to remain calm until a friend could take her to the hospital.

Since it’s the leading cause of what makes people under 40 go blind and she’d require treatment the rest of her life, being diagnosed with this was a huge shift in her life. Naturally, she spun down a rabbit-hole of fear, but she made a decision to lean into her emotions, rather than try to suppress or deny them, inviting the reader to also stop masking their own pain and find happiness that isn’t based on the condition that things are all good. Tygielski writes, “I came to recognize that by changing my perception of these problems, or if I saw even the worst experience in a different light, I experienced them all differently. I felt set free.”2

It was at this point in her journey that Tygielski began examining her Jewish faith, taking up meditation, and learning more about the path of Buddhism. She describes racing thoughts and the challenges of starting this practice. However, by breaking things into small chunks, she was able to move forward with her goal of practicing self-care.

One of my favorite things Tygielski did was creating “chunks” in her to-do list (which she shares an image of!) that breaks things down into categories. I started doing this with my own to-do this and have found the organization of it to be both practical and pleasing. So, the book has not only meaningful inspiration, but also real examples that can be practiced in one’s life to cultivate this foundation.

Tygielski realized this path to change wasn’t going to happen overnight, yet her dedication to working towards getting to the root of her negative thinking, make changes in her life, and develop self-care practices never waivered. Through trial and error, she was able to find a self-care practice that works for her. And while she suggests times to include self-care, such as when transitioning from one thing to another during the day, her message encourages readers to find self-care practices and routines that fit their own lifestyle.

She also reflects on the importance of authentic self-care, as well as how it has been misconstrued in society “by corporations to create a very profitable industrial wellness complex, one that focuses on beauty, happiness, and comfort in the name of self-love and self-compassion.”3 YES! I am really glad she pointed that out, while also explaining how self-care is a key component to making the world a better place through participatory transformation.

What I like most about Sit Down to Rise Up is how Tygielski brings it outward to her community. During the pandemic, she created a grassroots mutual aid organization called Pandemic of Love. She explores the importance of mutual aid, which once was the center of community-life, but has recently disappeared in our modern culture.

Reviving this solidarity and calling upon the strength of one’s village is a self-care practice in itself, one that has a power to change the very fabric of society as people choose to offer love, kindness, generosity, and support, even to those who seem very unlike themselves. Tygielski’s organization has grown exponentially, and I’m glad because she has her priorities straight and an agenda that is truly devoted to service.

“The success and growth of Pandemic of Love proved that mutual aid goes beyond charity by mobilizing humans on behalf of humanity. It provides us with a powerful vision of the type of alternative society that is possible, one where we can be a global community connected by cooperative compassion and where we are no longer consumers in endless capitalist competition.”4

I am all on board with this call to practice self-care on behalf of not only oneself, but the entire world, so perfectly framed by Tygielski. If this message speaks to you, if you’re ready to change the world by going through the effort of changing yourself first, then Sit Down to Rise Up is definitely a must-read. It’s inspiring, empowering, and liberating to one’s spirit. As we change ourselves, the world around us changes too. By caring for ourselves, we learn how to create communities that care for others as well. I’m thrilled to see Tygielski’s community thriving — its success definitely points to what the heart of society is longing for right now.

Magical Self-Care for Everyday Life, by Leah Vanderveldt

Magical Self-Care for Everyday Life: Creating your own personal wellness rituals using the Tarot, space-clearing, breath work, high-vibe recipes, and more, by Leah Vanderveldt
CICO Books, 1782498513, 144 pages, March 2020

Magical Self-Care for Everyday Life by Leah Vanderveldt is an amazingly comprehensive book that introduces readers to the myriad of ways that self-care can be practiced in our daily life. Leah has a wealth of experience in this topic as a wellness and nutrition expert. As the founder of The Nourish Exchange and Witchy Wellness, her bio notes that she writes with a “focus on intuitive living, creating healthy recipes, herbalism, and self-care with a mystical twist.”1 This book stretched the bounds of “traditional” self-care recommendation by introducing magic through rituals and energy work.

I purposely chose to read this book during my favorite week of the year, the week between Christmas and the New Year, which for me is a time of quiet and introspection. I absolutely loved this book and savored every moment reading it. Vanderveldt expanded self-care to include mind, body, and spirit, while also reminding us that self-care means different things to all of us. As Vanderveldt explains, “magical living gives us an opportunity to claim our power, make the changes we seek, and create a life that lights us up.”2 I was ready to embrace magical living as I stood on the threshold of a new year. I have been using this time as an opportunity to get clear on my intentions, and so far I’ve tried many of the meditations, rituals, and activities described in the book. 

The book is divided into nine chapters: “embracing the Feminine”; “mirroring nature and the seasons”; “creating a magical home”; “lunar living”; “self-awareness with astrology; connect to your wisdom with Tarot“; “herbs and plant medicines for wellbeing”; “healing with energy flow and movement”; “manifesting and honoring your shadow.” The book is very comprehensive, and each chapter offers details on the topic at hand such as gemstones, moon cycles and phases, magical plants and flower essences.

Each chapter also includes related healthy recipes. For example, the lunar living chapter has a recipe on full moon pasta, the mirroring nature chapter has recipes for a spring equinox bowl and a grilled veggie summer solstice bowl, and the Tarot chapter has a recipe for an Empress breakfast. I am planning on making the Winter Solstice Soup in a few days!

The book closes with helpful reminders such as “taking care of yourself first will help you show up fully for others” and “give yourself the gift of time and space”3 The Resource section offers a chapter-by-chapter list of practitioners and websites. 

Intention, energy work, self-care are the main focus throughout. Vanderveldt encourages us with various rituals and recipes to shift the energy within us and the energy that surrounds us with practices such as healthy eating, astrology, moon work, shifting our thoughts, Tarot, cleansing rituals, attunement with the seasons, and working with plants and stones. The book is extremely sensual, a veritable feast for the senses and the spirit. The recipes and rituals indulge one or more of our senses at various times. The photography is amazing and brings the writing to life.

“Magical self-care is the practice of using rituals and tools that might be considered mystical, witchy, or esoteric to identify and address your needs. It requires being inquisitive, diving deep, and trusting yourself and your instincts. It is a process of self-care that combines the earthy and the spiritual for personal evolution and healing.”4

What I like most about the magical self-care concept was that this is a practice, much like yoga, one that best works when it is ongoing to help us grow and become self-aware. I also loved that Vanderveldt recognizes that often our time commitments are sometimes stretched thin and has created it so most rituals or activities can be done in 30 minutes or less. She purposely chose exercises that were quick, adaptable, and affordable (some of which are relatively inexpensive or free). The recipes to nourish the body and spirit are not intended to be difficult to make.

I appreciated that Vanderveldt recognized that “sometimes self-care looks like not taking any action at all. Or like getting serious about my boundaries. Or just going out with my friends and celebrating life.” 5 There’s no right or wrong. There’s not judgement. Self-care is about self-inquiry and self-awareness and trusting one’s intuition, which Vanderveldt reminds us how it is “not always easy to hear it clearly, especially after decades of not being aware of it or ignoring it.” 6

Vanderveldt encourages the reader to try what rituals or activities resonate with us without the pressure to do every ritual in the book. She does recommend, though, that we do the chosen ritual or activity consistently. I was particularly drawn to creating a magical home and lunar living; again, because these are what I focus on as the new year is birthed. I cleansed my home using the rituals in the book. I did a full moon check-in and release. I tried some Tarot spreads of which I was not familiar: three-care spreads on releasing, asking for guidance, and working with the new moon.  Vanderveldt asks us to take a bird’s eye view of things — to see the larger picture and the higher good — while also encouraging us to literally get into the weeds through working with plants such as dandelions!  

I highly recommend Magical Self-Care for Everyday Life to anyone who wants to incorporate a spiritual self-care practice into their life. But don’t just read the book — use the book, treat it as a companion and engage with it every day. Feel worthy to take time for yourself. As Vanderveldt reminds us, “manifestation is a simple energetic equation, but it can get tripped up when we don’t feel deserving of what we want – we only get what we believe we deserve.”7 Believe that you deserve joy and happiness. Believe that you deserve to make magical self-care a daily practice.

The Call of Intuition, by Kris Franken

The Call of Intuition: How to Recognize & Honor Your Intuition, Instinct & Insight, by Kris Franken
Llewellyn Publications, 978-0738765938, 256 pages, 2020

Trying to find that elusive unicorn called work-life balance has many of us burning out and not able to focus on the task at hand. Attempting to find time for ourselves, while also taking care of others, and in some cases juggling a job has many of us cut off from ourselves and our intuition. Finding a pathway back to ourselves in terms of honoring our vast inner worlds is precisely what Kris Franken sets out to do in her beautiful book The Call of Intuition: How to Recognize & Honor Your Intuition, Instinct & Insight. In this book, Franken sets out workable sections on how to reconnect with our inner selves, and it couldn’t come at a better time.

With the turmoil society is in right now where many people feeling cut off and alone due to the pandemic, this book is a breath of fresh air. Not only does Franken reiterate what we all know intrinsically in terms of being always connected to our inner guidance, she shows us how to access that well of guidance through basic exercises designed to strengthen our link to ourselves. Woven through the chapters that are simply and directly named for what they offer (“Breathe,” “Surrender,” “Connect,” etc) are wonderful self-practices in the guise of prompts designed to provoke a deeper awareness that reflects back to the chapter topic. The first one, titled Self Aware Soul Prompt, took me to a place of deep calm and serenity that I greatly needed. It also reminded me that I need to take responsibility for my own empowerment, which surprised me because I totally thought I was doing that. Guess not!

The book is written simply and is a pleasure to read. Not that it’s an easy read: whenever you deal with personal transformation books there is always an element of difficulty in that you are called to face some aspects of yourself that you thought you’d dealt with. This isn’t to say that there is an abundance of Shadow Work here; while there may be a call to do that later on your own, this book is more about re-establishing contact between you and your higher self while leaving space for miracles to occur.

Franken doesn’t make the reader wait to get into the meaty stuff. In chapter two, she deftly explains the three inner guides that influence and inform each person: instinct, intuition, and insight. This forms the basis of the rest of the book and the detail she goes into about each one of these guides is beneficial for even the most seasoned and self-aware reader. Personally, I love it when the writer tells me exactly what they mean when they use specific words, as I feel it gives me another facet to a topic I might already know something about. Take intuition and insight for example. I would have thought that these two things would be quite similar based on my personal experience. Franken explains insight as “when you receive new information that merges with what you already know and provides a new understanding or a fresh perspective.” 1 Something I now have in conjunction to these two ideas, thanks to her explanation.

The second part of the book deals with the “how-to” of reconnecting and is the real reason why you pick this book up. While the first part provides a deep understanding of intuition, insight, and instinct, the second part provides six ways to fortify the bond with self through practical, hands-on, and playful approaches. Franken encourages the reader to think of this entire section as fluid and not treat it as a solid six-step program to follow diligently. I like that she goes out of her way to state that — quite often authors mean for this to be apparent, but it isn’t always that clear. In this case, the way the book is written invites the reader to jump around and try things at their own discretion. Perfect for someone like me who gets distracted by shiny things!

I especially enjoyed the section on surrendering, as I have a difficult time letting go and releasing things that no longer serve me. Part of this is because doing so invites real and drastic change into my life, and that is sometimes daunting and scary to consider. I know — why is this my favorite part if it causes so much discomfort? It’s precisely the discomfort that attracts me. Honestly, Franken’s writing makes me feel safe to move forward with this work despite the amount of fear I feel while contemplating the changes that need to be made. Empowerment: it’s already working!

If you are looking for a book that clearly lays out the basic principles behind acknowledging and accessing your inner guidance system, pick this book up. Ditto if you already have that knowledge but are looking for ways to strengthen the bonds already in place. There really isn’t anyone I can think of who wouldn’t benefit from reading The Call of Intuition, as it’s full of wonderful insight and anecdotes that resonate with their honesty and relevance. Franken has written a beautiful book that will lead you back to your center, if you are willing to take some time and reinvest it in yourself.